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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cave, Caif, n. Also: cawe, caive, calve, caf(e. [Early ME. cave (caue), OF. cave, L. cava.]

1. A cave. Also fig.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xi. 380.
The apostolis went traystly To thai cawis, quhare thai can ly Ib. xvi. 813.
In that roche hey & stay, A cawe he had c1420 Wynt. ii. 1190.
He persawit that kyngis v [= five] Crap in a cawe to sauf thar lywe Ib. v. 3107.
Wndyr erd in cawys depe c1590 J. Stewart 93/492.
[The] cauld cumblie vmbrage of this cawe(b) 1456 Hay II. 138/22.
Othir wateris ar naturaly engendered … within craggis and caves in the erde a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1252.
Mirth fled fra hame, cair maid his cave invart 1513 Doug. i. ii. 17.
Thus the hie fader … in cavis dyrk Thir wyndis hyd Ib. iii. ii. 83.
Thai dwelt in lugys and mony litil cave(c) a1400 Leg. S. xi. 374.
Athyre of thame can hafe, To dwel in, thare propyre cafe c1515 Asl. MS. I. 170/4.
He will draw with him till his caif ane lyoun or a libberd 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 41.
Ontil a caif we went, Vndir a hyngand hewch Ib. viii. v. 45.
The grisly portar of the hellys see, Lugyng in caif 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7138.
Than past he to the Quene … , Be his derne caifIb. 7665.

2. A cellar or dungeon; spec., a wine-cellar. c1475 Wall. ii. 172.
Barrell heryng and wattir thai him gawe, Quhar he was set in to that vgly cawe Ib. 277.
Rycht couertly thai kepe him in that caiff 1538 Treas. Acc. VII. 40.
For portage of the wyne fra the caiff to the boit 1587-99 Hume iii. 89.
The callowr wine in caue is sought 1616 Hist. Jas. VI 395.
Sarjand Bowy, [the king's] symmoler of wynis, … to lay in the cavys of his palicis 1661 Edinb. Test. LXX. 152.
I leive to my said dochter … the wyne cave or sellar

3. A case for holding bottles. [F. cave.] 1641 Edinb. Test. LIX. 275 b.
Ane littell cave for wyn without glasis 1643 Soc. Ant. IV. 485.
To Robert Porteous to buy ane cave, to keip our communion wyne in 1655 Edinb. Test. LXVIII. 89.
Certane … pistellis, morteris, … calves with glass for keiping of wateris 1680 Blackness Customs 8 b.
Ane full caive with Danttzicke watteres … Tua empty caves 1685 Inverness Customs 4.
Ane cave valued 3 lib. scots … ane other cawe valued 3 lib. 1695 Edinb. Test. LXXX. 130 b.
ij caves with glasses ther in 1696 Ib. 175 b.
Ane calve with botlesattrib. 1647 Edinb. Test. LXIII. 223.
Twa great booth kists with ane cave buist and chottills 1691 Brechin Test. VIII. 40 b.
Ane cave with ane dozen of cave glasses in it